May 13, 2011

BCAB Conference 2011

A few of us were lucky enough to spend a few days in Kelowna last week at the BCAB Conference. This year with the theme Welcome to the Jungle Media in the 21st Century (cue multiple airings of Guns n’ Roses). So what did we take away from this apart from a mild case of sunburn (Jack)?

The general feeling seemed to be much more positive than previous years with regard to the acceptance of new media, particularly social media and how it can work to enhance a station’s current offerings. The sessions, for the most part, gave practical advice on how to communicate with audiences both through social media and directly on air.

Mari Smith, the ‘Queen of Facebook’, gave tips on how to get the most out of this as a marketing tool.

Anthony Von Mandl, the proprietor of Mission Hill Family Estate winery, for the most captivating talk on how he overcame seemingly insurmountable hurdles in order to realise his dream of establishing the Okanagan Valley as a world class wine region.